Apparatus for measuring consumption of electric currents.



N0; 52,2|4. l Patented lune I9, |900.

, c. R. L'ouenv.

APPARATUS-FOR MEASUHING CONSUMPTION-0F ELECTRIC CUBRE'NTS. (Applic'ation led Feb. 17, 1899.)

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C. R. LDYUBERY. APPARATUS FUR MEASURING ,GDNSUMPTIUN 0F ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

(Application tiled Feb. 17, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 652,2I4. Patented June I9, |900. C. R. LOUBERY.

APPARATUS FOR MEASUBING CONSUMPTION 0F ELEGTRIQl CURRENTS.

(Application filed Feb. 17, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED vSTATES PATENT unica.

CSAR RENE LCUBERY, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, EM- MANUEL FRANCOIS, AND HENRY KUNKELMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING CONSUMPTIGN 0F ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,214, dated June 19, 1 900.

Application iiled February 17,1899. Serial No. 705,790. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CSAR REN LOUBERY, a resident of Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Measuring the Consumption of Electric Currents, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for measuring and controlling the use of electrical energy by consumers whose apparatus are connected with main supplyingconductors leading from a generating-station It will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a View illustrating in diagram part of a system embodying apparatus in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating an im proved automatic time-switch adapted for use in the System shown in Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic detail views illustrating the 0peration of said automatic switch, and Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the employmentoftheimproved automaticswitch in a complete system.

Referring toFig. 1, ct represen ts a generator (of alternating current) at a central station, from which main conductors l) b' lead. A branch conductor c from the main conductor b connects with a dynamo c, (which generates a continuous current,) and from thence extends to the automatic time-switch or contact-maker d, operated by a suitable controlling-clock, (not showm) and from this contact-maker extends to earth at e.

h represents anysuitahle apparatus located at the consumers station to which electrical energy is to be supplied. It is connected with the mains l) b', respectively, by the conductors h h2 through a switch g. From the conductor 7L a branch f leads through the electromagnetf to the ground at e. A is a plate or arm pvoted at A and carrying the dials and train of gearing constituting the registering mechanism of a meter.` At its lower end plate A carries a projection or armature A and adapted when said magnet is not energized to rest against screw s, the spring C tending to normally maintain the parts in this position.

Bis a worm continuously driven in any suitablemotormechanism. (Notshown.) It

is so located as to engage one of the gearwheels r when lthe armature A is attracted by the electromagnetf.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described is as follows: The consumer at the local station desiring to use electricity supplied by the mains b b closes switches g, and the current thereupon passes through the apparatus at 71. The closing of the switch g establishes a circuit from the ground e through contact-maker CZ and dynamo c to the main conductor b', from said conductor to the branch conductor of f', and through the electromagnetf to the ground at e. From this it will be seen that if the automatic timeswitch closes its contact-maker d, say, for example, every ten seconds, a current from the dynamo c will pass through and energize the electromagnetf, causing the latter to attract its armature, and thereby engage the gear-wheel o" with the continuously-moving Worm B, which latter, so long as the parts remain in this position, acts to operate the registering mechanism. The period of time during which the consumer has employed the current will thus be registered.

This apparatus is suit-able for use Where a fixed charge or tariff is made for the electrical energy consumed, it being understood that the operation of the apparatus is, in effeet, to register the number oi closures of the circuit of the generator c without reference to the duration of each closure.

In Figs. 2, 3, et, 5, and 6 I have shown an improved construction of automatic contactmaker, whereby the duration of each emission of current for operating the registering mechanism or meter, and Vconsequently the amount registered, may be varied. It is thus possible to establish a varying rate of charge for the electrical energy consumed, according to the particular time of day at which said consumption takes place. In other words, with the construction of contact-maker about to be described it is possible to vary the operation ot' theregister-ing mechanism so that at times when the electricity on the mains is least in demand the consumer may employ more electrical energy than at times when the current is most in demand Without causing a corresponding increase in the amount IOO erated every time the automatic time-switch operates to make and break the auxiliary circuit, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

D and C are diagram matic illustrations of clocknnotors operatingindependently of each other to operate means for actuating a switcharm C2. The clock-motor D may be regulated so as to make a complete rotation everyv m, n, or p seconds, according tothe time of the day, while the clock-motor C makes a com plete revolution every m seconds. These motors are adapted to operate a switch-arm C2 in the manner about to be described. l/Vhen the switch-arm C2 is in one extreme position, Figs. 3 and 6, the auxiliary circuit will be. closed from ground e, Fig. 6, through switch-arm C2, continuous-current generator E, conductor line-wire b', conductor 0, and electromagnet o to earth e2. The electromagnet being energized attracts its armature and operates the clock O. The voltage of generator E being too feeble by itself to energize el'ectroinagnet sufficiently to operate the register against the tension of spring C, said i will be attracted by its electromagnet o every time the auxiliary circuit is closed by the l' switch-arm C2, irrespective of whether both register remains inactive. IVhile the switcharm C2 is in the other extreme position, Figs. 4and 5, the auxiliary circuit will be completed from earth e through the switch-arm, continnous-current generators E' and E, line- Wire b, and electromagnetfto ground e'. The second generator E' having been added to generator E, the combined voltage energizes electromagnetf with sufcient power to attract armature A", and so long as the switch-arm remains in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the register or meter will be operated. Switch-arm C2 is alternatively moved from one position, Fig. to the other, Fig. 5, it being moved to the latter position at uniform intervals of m seconds. Therefore the time during every m seconds which the switcharm remains in position to effect the operation of the register depends upon whether the clock-motor D operates arm C2 every m, n, or p seconds.

The operation of the time-switch arm C2 is effected in a sudden manner bythe fall of the armsF F', mounted, respectively, on shafts G G of the several clocks. The arm F is moved and stopped by the pins 141 and IVI, while the arm F is moved and stopped by the pins H2 and Hi. Each of the arms carries a weight, which may be adjusted to the desired positionV and which is sufiicient t0 cause the arm to fall with such force as to move the switch-arm C2.

From the foregoing description it will be every m` seconds. arm F is brought to a vertical position once i longer time during every m seconds.

understood that the arm F' being moved to a vertical position every m seconds will drop and strike the time-switch C2 and will throw it to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thus including both of the generators E and E in the circuit and operating the registering mechanism at the consumers station so long as the circuit remains thus closed. Assuming also that the arm F is brought to a vertical position every m seconds and that in falling it returns the time-switch C2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the switch will remain in the position shown in Fig. 4 for a predetermined time during Assuming now that the every n seconds, it Will be readily understood that the switch C2 will remain in the position 'shown in Fig. 4 for a longer time during every'm seconds, and, further, that if the 1 arm F is brought to a vertical position once every p seconds the time-switch will remain in the position shown in Fig. 4 for a still In this manner it will be seen that the armature AH Willbe attracted by the eleotromagnetffordifferent periods of time,according to whether `the arm F is being brought into operation every m, n, orp seconds, and that the longer i said armature is attracted by its magnet the greater Will be the amount registered by the operation of the worm B upon the worm-A wheel r.

As the actuatiiig-armature of the clock O generator E and E' or only the generator E be included in the circuit and whether the switch g be open or closed, and as the switchg arm C2 will be continuously operated to close and open the auxiliary circuit twice during regular and invariable time intervals (in the example given every m seconds) said clock i O will be thus electrically operated to accurately indicate the hour of the day, and may be consulted by the consumer, so that he will know, according to the time of day during which he is employing current, what the rate of charge therefor is.

Having now described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with a main supplycircuit, of means for measuring the consumption of electric current supplied thereby, said means comprising an auxiliary circuit, means i'n said auxiliary circuit for caus- 1 ing interruptions in the current carried thereby, a registering device and continuouslydriven actuating means therefor, said device being normally held out of engagement with 2 its actuating means, and an electromagnetic device in the auxiliary circuit adapted upon each interruption of the current on said circuit to attract the registering device and hold g it for a predetermined period in engagement i with its actuating means.

IOO

IIO

2. The combination with a main supplycircuit and a generator therefor, of means for measuring the consumption of electric current supplied thereby, said means comprising an auxiliary circuit formed in part of one of the conductors of the supply-circuit, a generator for supplying to the auxiliary circuit a current of different character to that supplied to the supply-circuit, means in said auxiliary circuit for interrupting the current carried thereby, a registering device and continuously-driven actuating means therefor, said device being normally held out of engagement with its actuating means, and an electromagnetic device in the auxiliary circuit adapted upon each interruption of the current on said circuit-to attract the registering device and hold it for apredetermined period in engagement with its actuating means.

The combination with a main supplycircuit, of means for measuring the consumption of electric current supplied thereby, said means comprising an auxiliary circuit, a registering device or meter associated with said auxiliary circuit, means in said auxiliary circuit for generating electric current of suflcient strength to maintain theregister in operation so long as said generating means are included in the circuit, a switch for making and breaking the auxiliary circuit through said generating means, means for automatically and intermittently throwing said switch to its break position at uniform time intervals, and means for throwing said switch to its make position at uniform but variable time intervals.

4. The combination with a main supplycircuit, of means for measuring the consu mption of electric current supplied thereby, said means comprising an auxiliary circuit, a registering device associated with said auxiliary circuit and adapted to be maintained in operation by current thereon, means in the auxiliary circuit for generating current sufficient to effect the operation of the register, a switch Vwhich in one position breaks the circuit through said generating means and in another position completes the same, means for automatically andv intermittently throwing said switch to one position at regular time intervals, and means for automatically and intermittently throwing said switch to the other position at regular but variable time intervals.

'5. The combination with a main supplycircuit, including a generator of electricity,

of a consumers apparatus adapted to be connected in said supply-circuit, an auxiliary circuit extending from the generating-station to the consumers station and formed in part of one of the conductors of the supply-circuit, a registering device or meter associated with the auxiliary circuit, a continuously-driven actuating means for operating said registering device, electromagnetic means in the auxiliary circuit for bringing the continuouslydriven part and the registering device into engagement with each other, means in the auxiliary circuit at the generating-station for supplying the auxiliary circuitwith current of different character to that of the main supply-generator and of sufficient strength to excite the electromagnetic means to bring the register and its'continuously-driven actuating means into engagement, a switch in the auxiliary circuit for opening and closing the same through said generating means, and means operating said switch automatically and intermittently, said means being :adapted to be regulated to vary the duration of intermittent closure of said switch according to the time of day.

6; The combination with a metallic main supply-circuit and its generator, of a consumers apparatus adapted to be connected with said circuit, an auxiliary circuit extending from the generating-station to the consumers station, a register or meter at the consumers station normally held out of operation, an electromagnetic device in the auxiliary circuit adapted to be energized to throw said register into operation, means in the auxiliary circuit for generating current of different character to that in the main circuit, and of sufcient strength to energize the electromagnetic device to throw the register into operation, a switch-arm in one position closing the auxiliary circuit through said generating means and in another position opening the same, and automatically-operating means for intermittently actuating said switch-arm'to move it fromv one of said positions to the other, the operation of said actuating means being adapted to be varied to vary the time interval during which the switch at each intermittent movement, closes the circuit through the generating means for effecting the operation of the register.

7. The combination with a metallic main supply-circuit and its generator, of a consumers apparatus and a switch for opening and closing the supply-circuit therethrough, an auxiliary circuit extending from the generating-station to the consumers station and having at the latter two branches, one through which it is closed only when the consumer-7s switch is closed, a register or meter at the consum ers station normally held out of operation, an electromagnetic device in the switch-controlled branch of the auxiliary circuit adapted to be energized to throw said register into operation, a .clock at the consumers station having an actuating-electromagnet in the permanently-closed branch of the auxiliary circuit, two generators connectcd with the auxiliary circuit for generating current of different character. to that of the main-circuit generator the combined strength of current of both generators being necessary to throw the register or meter into operation, while the current from one or both of said generators will operate the consumers clock, a switch-arm at the generating-station having two contacts one for closing the aux- IOO IIO

through the generating means for-effecting Io vthe operation of the register.

`In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. a

CSAR RENE LOUBERY. Witnesses:

EMILE LEDRET, EDWARD P. MACLEAN. 

